Friday, 9 February 2018

Shetland Wool Week: Day 18: a quiet day planned: Sat 30 Sept

We planned a nice quiet morning in Lerwick, so decided to park for a full day on the quay. It was a glorious day and the light was fantastic. It was one of those days when you were filled with joy at being in such a beautiful place.

Image from early morning

We hadn’t been in the tourist information for a few days and I needed to check on an address so we popped in to get that sorted. As so often happens I found a friend to chat to, this time it was Minnie from Unst. She was down with her daughter who was wearing a superb lace jumper which I understand she had knitted. I had in fact been in some classes with Minnie’s daughter but not realised the link. Then it was on to Jamieson’s, I was on the hunt for Elizabeth Johnston’s Lunklet Lace Jacket pattern. It seemed to be sold out everywhere and Elizabeth didn’t have any more herself. I was in luck, there was a copy of the pattern for sale. I had designs on naturally dyeing yarn for this and would buy the yarn on Monday.

Elizabeth’s pattern.

This pattern has taken some writing...... I am in awe!

Saturday morning at the end of Wool Week is special as there is a Maker’s Market. In previous years I have been to the market in a wonderful panelled room in The Town Hall. This year the venue had changed as the Town Hall was being renovated, it was in Isleburgh where I had attended some of my workshops. We were keen to get a coffee, but it was like a scrum inside and it seemed that the whole population of Lerwick must be in there. We got separated and I had no idea even which room Michael was in. We eventually found each other at the cafe and managed to sit at a table - by chance with Minnie and her daughter again. I was also able to talk to Marta and Hildur and thank them for such a great evening hearing about the Warp Weighted Loom. I kept my hand firmly on my credit card as I had a spending spree planned for Monday but couldn’t resist these..... more buttons (with lace imprint) and fair isle wooden pegs. These would brighten up my desk.

It was so great to see so many people at the market and it was clearly good for the local economy.

We decided to stop at Tesco for a mini shop and it was actually busy, but then of course half term had started here as the children go back to school earlier than in England. We decided that THE place for lunch would be Mackenzie’s Farm Shop and we were not disappointed. We both had steak and kidney pudding with lots of steak and kidney and a tiny puff of pastry unlike too many others where the puff pastry is the predominate item. We decided we had made an excellent choice in choosing here again. Unfortunately I realised that I was getting a migraine attack. Fortunately this was the first in a month minus a day and for me to go so long was quite a record. The bad news for me is that if I get a bad attack it is now ‘hemiplegic’ meaning I get pins and needles in my left leg ( the warning sign) and in fact can feel as if I have no left side. Since the migraine turned this way, I am only allowed large doses of aspirin.... no more tryptans. (1) We drove down to Hoswick, so I could lie down and Michael could go in search of an elusive migrant bird.(2) Tomorrow would be another day.

(1) I write this not for sympathy, but to raise the profile of Migraine. It is an awful condition and one which can be quite disabling. It is not a normal headache and rarely do I actually have a head ‘ache’, although my hair can hurt when touched. My consultant told me I have always suffered (my early ‘sinus’ problems were likely to be migraine) and he believes it is genetic. I do know that it was much worse after I had an accident to my head in my first year of teaching many moons ago. Over the years, the nature of the migraine has changed, including a dark spell when every day was a migraine day as it had gone ‘chronic’. That is now past. Migraine is something I (and many others) live with and I try not to beat myself up too much these days when I ‘miss a day of life’ or more to the condition. I have to tell myself that it is a warning, I am doing too much, something I am prone to!

(2) The bird stayed elusive or had decided to move place, it was a hawfinch.

About Me

Textile designer-maker who is also a professional image consultant and qualified teacher. My work varies from teaching eg natural dyeing, to advising on personal colour and style to making couture pieces. I am passionate about what I do and encourage others to enjoy the process of producing and wearing garments and accessories that show individual creativity and skill and can be enjoyed for many years.